Monday, October 25, 2010

Pumpkin short ribs (slow cooker or stovetop)

I was trying to come up with something witty to say about this delicious stew of short ribs with pumpkin and mushrooms, but I can't. I'm feeling literal. Here's what I've got:

Meat.

Tender, rich, savory beef short ribs. With lots of meaty crimini mushrooms. In a sauce that, if I hadn't told you, you'd never guess included pure pumpkin puree.

Oh, and those heavenly aromatics? My secret spice drawer weapon: Chinese five spice powder. It's a traditional combination of fennel, cloves, cinnamon, star anise and white pepper. Buy some. Use it with everything from beef to chicken to chocolate. It will rock your world. Between the pumpkin and the aromatics, this stew tastes the way Vermont looks in October: warm, spicy and full of oranges and golden yellows. Yes, you can taste orange and gold. Close your eyes, inhale, and take a bite. You'll see what I mean.

I've made this both in the slow cooker and on the stovetop. I've included directions for both, so use whichever method fits your schedule. I like English-cut short ribs - they're well marbled and boneless, and my local Costco sells them in large packages - but bone-in short ribs would work fine too.

In a large, heavy pot, heat the oil over high heat until just starting to smoke. Brown the short ribs in batches on all sides, removing each batch to a plate as you finish it.

When the meat is browned and out of the way, add the onions to the pot. Saute about two minutes, until they start to wilt and turn golden. Add the mushrooms and continue to cook over high heat until they are cooked and have given up all their water, about 6-7 minutes. Add the garlic and stir briefly. Pour in the wine; it will bubble and evaporate quickly, which is what you want.

Stovetop: Add back the meat to the pot, then add the pumpkin, beef broth, spices and salt. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to low, cover the pot, and cook over low heat at least three hours, or until the meat is fork tender. Inhale often as the short ribs are cooking, and smile.

This looks delish!! Perfect for this rainy SoCal weather we've been having. But where do I find Chinese 5-spice powder? Hmm... will have to take a closer look at the spice shelves in the grocery store.

@Stephanie - you may not find it in a normal grocery store, unless they have a gourmet section. I like Penzey's, and I'm sure they'd have it at Whole Foods. You can also mail-order it from Amazon - there's a link above in the headnotes.

Thank you for sharing a recipe that I can use in my slow cooker. This sounds so moist and flavorful. Can you believe I've never tried Chinese Five Spice before? What a shame, I know! I will have to give this a try very soon. Thanks, Erika!

Made this and loved it! I veered just a teeny bit -- my shortribs had bones, had only 4 cups mushrooms, and did it in slow cooker, but I mistakenly turned it on HIGH for nearly the whole time, so bones just fell off (not a problem). Shredded the meat. We ate it over mashed potatoes. Loved it! Thank you!

@Susie - that's a tough one. There's really no good substitute for mushrooms. I'd just leave them out. The meat in the pumpkin sauce will still be very delicious. Let me know how it goes (and oh so sorry for that mushroom allergy!).